A Train Ride Away from You
by Chidori no Tenshi
Summary: There's only so much a person can take of their loved one gazing at another before they leave. He'd been left with no choice... Mystery pairing. Slightly angsty, but nothing bloody or violent. RATED M FOR A REASON.
1. Chapter 1

Hi, it's Chidori no Tenshi! (No duh.) I wrote an Ouran fic!!! O_o I don't think I've ever liked an anime so much as I've liked Ouran High School Host Club. Especially the twins. God, they're too sexy for their own good. Cough.

_**By the way...IF ANYONE CAN FIND THE SONG "KOI NI OCHITARA" BY FUJITA YOSHINORI (NOT CRYSTAL KAY) WITH GOOD QUALITY (BETTER THAN 128 KBPS), PLEASE TELL ME WHERE I CAN GET IT OR SEND IT TO ME, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!! **_There's nothing more I hate than loving a song and not being able to find a version that's decent quality. Thanks, I'd really appreciate it.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran; it belongs to Bisco Hatori...who I think should really push to get out a second season. Grr. **

*Note: These are just some songs that I thought might help to intensify the mood of the story, but it's just my opinion. XD So here's the recommended soundtrack for this fic:

Tsumetai Yoru by Ootori Kyouya's voice actor (Matsukaze Masaya)

Your Guardian Angel by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Always be my Baby by David Cook

Journey to the Past from Anastasia (NOT the one by Aaliyah)

Far Away by Nickelback

Koi ni Ochitara by Fujita Yoshinori

Sad to Say by Jasmine

Jewel by Hamasaki Ayumi

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**A Train Ride Away from You - Chapter 1**

Tears rolled slowly down Kaoru's face and on to his pillow. Lying tranquilly beside him, facing him on the bed, Hikaru didn't so much as stir as Kaoru lifted his left hand and gently cupped his brother's cheek. He pressed himself closer to the warm chest in front of him, Hikaru's arms tightened instinctively around his waist. The shadowy blackness of the room hid Kaoru's expression and tears, so that he would be safe even if Hikaru managed to wake up. Even though he could hardly control himself anymore, he managed not to kiss his older brother's mouth. Warm air blew out of those parted lips and softly fanned over the younger twin's face. Even though it was tempting, _so tempting_, Kaoru had told himself already that he'd decided not to be selfish. He would keep this promise.

A few weeks ago, Kaoru had realized just what exactly that feeling plaguing him was, began dreading it every day the second he woke up. It gave him romantic dreams about Hikaru deep in the darkest hours of the night, making him bolt up in bed. The cold sweat would drip down his forehead, reminding him that this was a reality he had to face and somehow solve. But even though his mind fully understood how he was forcing himself into a corner, his body gradually began to react to each and every brush of skin, every hug, every fake act at the Host Club. He was falling in love with the one person he wasn't allowed to, the irony only serving to make him even more frustrated. It shamed him, shamed him so much that he would find himself sitting in the shower, staring blankly into space while the water shot at him like small, jeering missiles.

Brothers could not, _should not_ feel like this for each other. If Hikaru found out...Kaoru's breath hitched, goose bumps rising just at the thought of it...if Hikaru found out, he would be utterly disgusted. Oh, he might try to hide it for the sake of keeping their relationship, since he _did_ love Kaoru after all, in a brotherly fashion that is. But Kaoru could just imagine it: every time they would touch, even if by accident, Hikaru would draw away in a flash, mumbling some kind of apology.

And Hikaru would continue to pull farther and farther away from his twin, until Kaoru would be the last one left in their solitary world, chained by feelings that he didn't even want.

Left behind by his own brother.

But Kaoru was brave. He risked his everything, thinking that he could live with having these feelings as long as Hikaru or anyone else never found out. As long as they never found out, he would be safe, free to live with his brother as he always had, eating together, sleeping together, living life together.

Hikaru had even gotten over Haruhi, not lifting a finger when she and Tono had finally gotten together, but only wishing them happiness. He'd grinned at Kaoru and told him that perhaps Haruhi had been a mere crush, and that she was now in the past for him, only a symbol of how close he was to the younger twin. After all, it'd been the first time he'd ever liked a girl, and, just like the first fight he ever had with Kaoru, he couldn't tell when to stop, and which emotions were real or unreal. The older twin found that he still missed monopolizing her sometimes, the first true friend he'd ever had...but he dealt with it. And Kaoru had smiled.

But then that _girl_ had transferred into their class, right into the seat in front of Hikaru. That Yukimura Atsuko, daughter of some company's CEO, a beauty with wavy black hair, huge brown eyes, and a super nice person to boot. Not to mention that she could tell Kaoru from Hikaru just like Haruhi could. Wordlessly, Hikaru had fallen head-over-heels for her. He watched her from behind with such affectionate eyes that Kaoru had had to excuse himself to the washroom during a lesson to sit in a stall, motionless as he felt like his chest was being crushed by a harsh pressure. His heart hurt, his head hurt, and he felt sick, but he would hold out.

He would make himself hold out.

However, the last straw had been when Kaoru found a pencil drawing of a heart encircling Hikaru and Atsuko's names on the desk the twins shared. There were multiple scribbles on it, and Kaoru could just imagine his brother discovering what he'd written unconsciously, a huge blush covering his face, before scribbling it out and doing the same thing all over again.

At that moment, the hopelessness of the entire situation had finally gotten to Kaoru, his knees giving out on him. He'd kneeled in front of that desk for a while, homework lying beside him, wondering what he could possibly do.

He'd considered staying for Hikaru, since he knew that Hikaru would be lost without his twin, the one that had always been by his side. But Kaoru couldn't take it anymore. At this rate, he would die early of heartache, no exaggeration, and that wouldn't help Hikaru in any way, except to bother him. He couldn't stand watching his older brother gaze lovingly at another all day, it just wasn't possible.

And so, he'd come up with an idea that wouldn't cause too much trouble, and which would somewhat ease the horror of having a ticking time bomb strapped to his heart. The bomb pushed at his heart day after agonizing day, and when the timer went off, he would be able to do nothing but meet his demise.

It had been at that moment that he'd decided to leave.

...

Silver moonlight shone into the dark room, bathing the twins in a magical glow. Kaoru's self-restraint was stretched thin; he knew he had to leave soon before it finally broke. He pressed his lips to both of Hikaru's cheeks, then the corner of his mouth. Gently, soundlessly, he loosened the arms around him and slipped out of the bed, his pillow wet with the tears he'd shed. He walked across the room silently and pulled on the door of a closet, the silhouette of a lone suitcase sitting there, as if reminding him just how alone he really was. Dragging the suitcase to the door, he looked back once at Hikaru, who had grabbed Kaoru's pillow and was now hugging it as if he would the real person.

A smile spread across the younger twin's face, not touching his eyes.

"Goodbye, Hikaru."

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Kaoru dragged the suitcase all the way to the train station. There, the bullet trains, or shinkansen, would take him far, far away from this place. His muscles ached at the labour, having walked a long distance since no cabs went by the Hitachiin residence, especially not at that hour. Normally he would've only had to carry half the weight...but he wasn't supposed to be thinking about that now.

The shinkansen arrived then, its speed alarming to those who weren't familiar with it. A security guard yelled at Kaoru to step behind the yellow lines for his own safety, and the boy jumped back in surprise. He thought he'd researched enough about these commoner ways, but apparently not. Sighing for the third time that day, Kaoru stepped on to the train with downcast eyes.

He sat down at a random spot, most of the seats being empty because of the time. An officer checked his ticket before smiling wistfully at him. "Leaving on a trip by yourself?"

Kaoru looked up in surprise. The voice broke through the heavy silence all around, and he noticed that he was the only passenger on that section of the train. He nodded absently at the question when he realized that the man was staring at him expectantly. "I guess you could say so." He propped his elbow on the headrest of the empty seat in front of him. He vaguely noticed that the dull blue tint of the seats seemed to match his mood.

The man smiled knowingly, then left for the next section of the train, leaving Kaoru alone to his thoughts. He watched the mass of skyscrapers with blinding neon lights gradually dwindle as hours flew past, until they became secluded farming houses with endless, green fields. The sun rose lazily, the boy watching as the sky was painted a myriad of bright colors. Suitcase sitting quietly on the seat next to him, the silence became overwhelming and dragged him down...pulling him down into the realm of the dreams...

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Hikaru's eyes opened drowsily, blinking a few times before reaching over to the other side of the bed. Cold sheets met his hand. He groaned, sitting up. "Kaoru?" He dragged himself out of bed and opened the bathroom door in their room. "Kaoru?" Yawning, he stretched and proceeded to open the door leading to the hallway. Maids scurried over immediately.

"Hikaru-sama, is something the matter? Why are you up at eight-thirty on a Saturday?"

He blinked. Oh, it was Saturday? He would've thought the scene of a bunch of maids scurrying to him because he woke up too early as comical, but he wasn't awake enough yet to feel amused. "Where's Kaoru?"

"Kaoru-sama has not yet left the room. He is not in there with Hikaru-sama?" The voices began to sound alarmed.

Hikaru's brain flickered to life. "What? Kaoru hasn't left? You sure he didn't just go on some walk at five in the morning?"

"W-Well, that would be quite possible, since we have only been awake until six. Kaoru-sama does tend to do these kinds of things..." the maids muttered between themselves.

"He's probably out doing something, don't worry 'bout it. I'll be going down for breakfast." But even though Hikaru sounded nonchalant, a tiny seed of panic and desperation that he always felt when his twin wasn't around began to grow. He dismissed the feeling as the usual, and sauntered downstairs for breakfast.

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"Kao-chan! What are you doing here?" Kaoru smiled wearily at the family friend. The sun had set hours ago. He was tired and emotionally spent. On the trip to this house, a realization that some of the inconveniences being a commoner could bring had come up, since he'd been riding public transit with his suitcase the entire day to get here. Thank God for the shinkansen, otherwise he wouldn't have reached this out-of-place town in only a day.

"Hi there, Takahashi-baachan. I...I need a place to stay. I'm sorry for the trouble."

The woman blinked at the dead air around the twin. He'd always been a happy, lively child that smiled as if the world didn't matter, as long as he had his br--

Oh. Hika-chan wasn't with him. She could guess now, just what _might_ have happened.

"Come in, Kao-chan. I have no idea why you left home, but you will always be welcome here, don't you worry. Make yourself comfortable." She smiled at him brightly and moved to let him in. The inside smelled of honey, and he saw the pancakes on the dining table. The house was small but cozy and dimly lit candles here and there, which only led to add to the homey feeling. Relief and a little hope slid up the boy's spine. Yes, he could try to make this place his home, if the old lady would let him. And even though he missed everyone in the Host Club already, having been reminded of Honey-senpai when he smelled the honey (oh, the irony), he knew that he could go on without them. They were his family, but he'd long since understood that good things weren't meant to last long. If they did, then no one would know to appreciate them.

His carriage had finally turned back into a rotting a pumpkin, the spell had worn off, and he was prepared.

"Ah, but I can't pay you, Baachan. I-I didn't remember to bring rent money." His hands shook around the suitcase handle, the shock of everything and lack of sleep getting to him. "Sorry. Stupid mistake," he muttered.

"Nonsense, child. If you don't have money," the elderly woman gave him a wicked grin, "--you'll pay for it with your body."

Kaoru's face drained of color.

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Hikaru's stomach growled. He frowned, tossing the PSP he'd been trying to distract himself with on to the bed next to his. Where the _hell_ was Kaoru? He'd even waited to eat dinner with his baby brother! The little seed of doubt and agitation grew in his stomach until he thought he'd have a cramp.

Elbows propped on his bent knees, Hikaru stared out the window. Kaoru hadn't come back yet, and it was already dark outside. What the hell had happened? Those sheets had been cold...he'd left long ago. Why didn't he come back yet?

Then Hikaru shook his head hastily. He was being pathetic. Kaoru had only been gone for a day and he was already like this. So what if his twin had gone without saying a thing to him? Something in his chest twinged at the thought, but he ignored it. Kaoru had the right to do whatever he wanted without having to report to his brother. He didn't usually disappear for so long, but that wasn't really the point...

The older twin hopped off the bed and began pacing the room impatiently, glancing out the window every few seconds to see if a redhead would appear. But no, there was no one. Oh, who was he kidding? It'd barely been twelve hours and he already missed his other half. Scenarios began playing themselves in his head. Was Kaoru...kidnapped? No. He would've woken up from the struggle, and the house's security was impeccable...unless it was a maid or butler? No. All of their maids and butlers had their backgrounds thoroughly checked before being hired, ever since that safe-cracking maid had come along.

But no. What if...what if Kaoru had been out on a walk, and then he'd been kidnapped?!

Hikaru flew to his cell phone, Kyouya's speed-dial number already typed in. Yes, if there was anyone that could help him, it was definitely Kyouya. His private police were situated all over the world, not to mention detectives as well. "Kyouya-senpai? It's Hikaru. Kaoru's been missing since seven this morning..."

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He lay on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

How long would it take for his brother to start looking for him?, he wondered. But he shook his head vigorously. He was not to think of his brother anymore. He was lonely, so lonely without the twin that he was always with, but he would never see Hikaru again anyway, so there was no point. As much as he hated it, from the moment he had left their room, Hikaru was already his past. This was the present Kaoru, the one that worked at a ramen shop and lived upstairs with an old granny. He was determined to make a living this way. Even if Kyouya's police were sent out, they would never be able to find him in this closely-knit, crowded little commoner town.

Still, even though Kaoru tried to convince himself this way, he'd never been very good at lying to himself. He missed Hikaru, and he knew that the nagging feeling as if he was missing something wasn't just his imagination or homesickness. He could care less about home as long as he had Hikaru. And there was just that little, tiny glimmer of hope, of wonder. It hoped that Hikaru would find him, admit to having similar feelings, and they would go back home happily. But no, this wasn't some fairytale story with a happy ending. This was real life, and real life meant harsh reality.

_Flashback:_

_The twins were six-years-old and had only recently been introduced to the idea of __dares__. This was a horror to anyone who knew the two's mischievous ways, but at least it kept them occupied. _

_Hikaru was particularly daring and he enjoyed seeing the scared expressions of his brother and having him cling on his arm; it made him feel like the older one, the more responsible one. He'd always felt protective of Kaoru. The younger twin shifted in his sleep then, and his eyes opened blearily. Hikaru was sitting up, a devilish gleam in his eyes. "Hi-Hikaru? Why aren't you sleeping? Is something the matter?"_

_"Kaoru, let's play hide-n-seek-slash-run-away-from-home!"_

_He rubbed his eyes. "Now? But it's night time!"_

_Golden eyes sparkled. "Yeah."_

_A short pause. _

_Kaoru was still uncertain, but he liked seeing his brother happy so he shrugged. "Well... okay then."_

_"Oh, and let's make it a half-dare at the same time!" The little boy smirked._

_Kaoru blinked. He was afraid, he would admit that, but whenever Hikaru got that look on his face, there was no stopping him. "Um...okay."_

_"Heh." Hikaru's smirk disappeared and was replaced by a serious look. "__**The one to be found first**__...will have to do the other's bidding for the entire day."_

_Kaoru's face fell. "The...the entire day?"_

_"Yeah, the entire day! The boundaries will be the house and land outside surrounding it. It's--" he checked the clock, "--six right now. The maids should be up any second."_

_Kaoru bit his lip anxiously. _

_Hikaru squeezed his hand reassuringly. He reached over to a drawer in the side of the bed, snatching a whistle and tied the attached string around Kaoru's neck. "Blow it, 'kay? If anything happens, just blow it and I'll find you before you know it." _

_Kaoru's eyes widened at the warmth in Hikaru's eyes. "Yeah," he nodded happily._

_His twin grinned. "Okay, ready...start!" He leaped off the bed hurriedly._

_Kaoru sighed, but he got up. Determination shone brightly in his eyes. _

_**He would win this battle.**_

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"Welcome!" Kaoru called out and grinned. He led the couple to a seat and handed them the menus. "Please call for me when you are ready to order," he left with a bow. The teenage girl stared after him, a flush staining her cheeks. Her partner looked at her angrily and "hmph'd".

He'd started work days ago, and it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. The noise of the friendly town was definitely welcoming and warm. When his hands were kept busy and his legs tired out from running around the shop all day, there was less of a chance that Hikaru would pop up in his mind. That didn't mean that thoughts of the older Hitachiin wouldn't drive him to tears nearly every night, even when he was exhausted and his body was aching for sleep. Still, this would be a better life for him. He'd never meet anyone that would mean as much as Hikaru did to him, but he could be content after a while. They say that time does heal all wounds, after all.

His apron swishing around his waist, the first three buttons on his white shirt were unbuttoned. People of both sexes stared at him in admiration, but he was oblivious to all the stares. He'd always been quite unaware of anything that concerned himself, since Hikaru usually warded off anyone weird. Then, a young girl, maybe 17-years-old, waved him over. "Kaoru-kun, right?" She asked, glancing at his nametag.

"Ah, yes." He smiled lightly. "Is there anything you needed?"

"I was just wondering...um, when do you get off work?" A bright blush lit up her face.

He had no idea why this stranger would ask when he would get off. It wasn't really her business anyway, but he guessed it wouldn't hurt. "Six p.m. Why?"

"I wanted to speak with you about something. Would it be alright if I come meet you after work?"

Kaoru sighed. "Uh, I don't--"

"Please," she said. "It won't take long, and it's important."

Usually, Kaoru wouldn't have agreed. But there was something desperate in her tone of voice that he felt he could relate to. What was it? He decided that he could take a risk to find out what she was going to tell him. Besides that, there was another thing as well: she looked slightly familiar to him... "Well...okay then, uh...something-chan." He gave her a small smile.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" She stumbled from her chair and bowed to him. "My name is Yukimura Ayaka. Nice to meet you!"

He bent down in an awkward half-bow, still unused to all the formalities. Hitachiins didn't bow to anyone, after all.

Suddenly, he froze. "Did you just say...Yukimura?"

"Yes. I don't know if you ever met her before, since she goes to Ouran High School. However, she is quite well-known, so maybe you would." A corner of her mouth quirked up in amusement. "My sister is Yukimura Atsuko."

For the second time that week, all color drained from Kaoru's face.

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They were at the back of the store, where the currently empty parking lot was. The sky was already dark, stars twinkling in the unreachable distance. A small lamp attached to the wall of the store shone weakly, creating eerie shadows everywhere.

"What did you want to talk about?" His bangs covered his eyes slightly. The light cast shadows on his face, making it look more angular.

Kaoru didn't want to be nice to this girl, but his manners still won out. Her sister had stolen his brother...forced him to do this. But no, the rational part of Kaoru knew that this had been his own decision, and that Atsuko-chan was a nice girl, and that his brother deserved someone he could be happy with. Without Kaoru's interference, Hikaru had said before that they would always be together, always be on the same path...but this just wasn't possible anymore. Not since he saw the heart on their desk.

A small sigh left her lips. "Lonely."

The younger twin's eyes widened. "What?"

"You look so lonely." She smiled and took his hand, leaning towards him with a glow in her eyes. "Today, when I came to the ramen shop, I became intrigued, first by your--" she coughed, "--looks, then by that glint in your eye." She sighed. "I would know that look."

Startled, snatched his hand away and shifted away from her. "E-Excuse me?"

"I know what being lonely feels like." She stared with solemn eyes into his own. "It's horrible, and I just wanted to let you know that if you ever, ever need anyone to talk to, I will be here. Naturally," she flushed and averted her gaze, "--I understand that you obviously wouldn't want to confide to a complete stranger, and of course I fear that I might have misjudged your character and that I could be talking to a complete psycho right now, or even a serial murderer..." The flush remained on her face but she turned confident eyes on him. "But I'm willing to trust my instincts."

He stared at her with a mixture of amazement and amusement. This girl was so random, yet she was unique. How is it that someone could be so _naive_ and yet so wise at the same time? He didn't know how to deal with people like her. "Thank you, Ayaka-chan. I appreciate your kindness. But..."

She sighed. "Yes, of course, I know what you're going to say."

He smiled a little.

Then she stuck her index finger in the air contemplatively, her expression reminding him of their "manager", Renge. "But...is it okay if I come to visit the ramen shop again tomorrow? Maybe you'll change your mind." The brightest smile he'd seen in ages popped up on her face, and it was like seeing a tiny sparkle of light at the end of a pitch-black tunnel threatening to swallow him.

"Yeah."

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Hikaru lay in his bed, shivering and plagued with nightmares. His eyes flashed open and he sat up, finding his pillow drenched in sweat. Kaoru...Kaoru...it seemed he was the only thing he ever thought about anymore. He was never at school; it was like his little brother had disappeared off the face of the earth. Hikaru didn't even bother going to school anymore. What would be the point? The Host Club worried about Kaoru too and Tamaki had closed it down temporarily. Every single police station, train station, and taxi had been alerted to the missing Hitachiin, not to mention the flyers posted up everywhere in Japan. There was not a single thing he could do besides wait for news. He went out every day in disguise, searching for his lost baby brother in places he could've possibly gone. The only thing keeping him from going insane at the moment was the tiny slip of paper that had been found on his mother's desk.

It had been Kaoru's handwriting, with the word "Goodbye" printed neatly in the center. It wasn't like his brother to disappear. Nothing like that had ever happened before, and he hardly ever left the house without his twin. Something devastating must have happened, something to cause Kaoru to do this. All of this wondering, worrying, all of the desperation was taking a toll on Hikaru, and he knew that he wouldn't last much longer if Kaoru wasn't found. Wetness dripped down his chin and he brought his hand up, only to find that the tears were coming out for the first time. A pressure pressed against his ribs, making it hard to breathe. It took only a moment before Hikaru realized what the pressure was.

He felt abandoned. He'd never felt so alone before, and the fear was choking him, but what was even worse was the feeling of betrayal. His twin brother had left him behind without a single reason, not bothering to say a single thing to Hikaru. Having gone through his entire sixteen years of life believing that he and Kaoru were inseparable and meant everything to each other, only to have that belief shattered...it was unthinkable, how lost he was, how incomplete he felt without his twin. Hikaru closed his eyes, the tears continuing to leak out from under his eyelids.

Kaoru had so easily abandoned him, left him behind. Yet he couldn't even find the will in himself to live without his baby brother.

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	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys, thanks for coming back to read the second chapter. I appreciate it, and hope I can receive some constructive criticism that will help improve my writing. By the way, I thought of another song that would go well with this story! :D

_Dare you to Move by Switchfoot_

Also, special thanks to _ILuvHikaruAndKaoru_ who reviewed!

Just so you know, I'm not the type of person to say "No more updates until I get x amount of reviews!" It just doesn't make sense to me, because shouldn't receiving comments be a favor that others are doing for us, and not an obligation? But anyway, I updated as quickly as I could. This chapter is around half the length of the first one, but I promise that the third (and final chapter) will be around the same length as the first! :D

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**Recap:**

_He felt abandoned. He'd never felt so alone before, and the fear was choking him, but what was even worse was the feeling of betrayal. His twin brother had left him behind without a single reason, not bothering to say a single thing to Hikaru. Having gone through his entire sixteen years of life believing that he and Kaoru were inseparable and meant everything to each other, only to have that belief shattered...it was unthinkable, how lost he was, how incomplete he felt without his twin. Hikaru closed his eyes, the tears continuing to leak out from under his eyelids._

_Kaoru had so easily abandoned him, left him behind. Yet he couldn't even find the will in himself to live without his baby brother._

_

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_

**A Train Ride Away from You - Chapter 2**

The younger Hitachiin grinned under his cap.

Ayaka had stormed into the store, shoving the flyer into his face. "You are _the_ Hitachiin Kaoru?! Why didn't you say a thing?!"

He tilted her chin with his index finger, pulling her face dangerously close to his. He usually didn't play the dominant role, but since Hika-- no, he wouldn't think about him.

The cap that Kaoru used to hide his conspicuous red hair shadowed his eyes, making his smile look even more seductive. "And what makes you that I should've told you, o' stranger?"

"Well--but...I thought--" she spluttered. He abruptly let go of her chin.

"I have my reasons. Please don't tell anyone."

She watched him in disbelief before glaring at him. "Excuse me? You bastard, what makes you think I would ever tell anyone? Who you tell is your business; it doesn't have a thing to do with me!"

"That's some dirty language coming from a lady."

"Hmph. Just 'cause I go to Ouran doesn't mean I have to be a lady." She thought for a bit. "But hey, don't you have a twin brother? Hikaru-kun, right? I visited your Host Club many a time!" A grin made its way on to her face, but dropped when she looked up at him and she froze.

Kaoru's expression had completely shut itself off, his eyes blank and emotionless. They were like black holes, his eyes, and she flinched at the depth of them. "I think I'd better get back to work now, Ayaka. See you."

Her eyes widened and she stood there for a moment. The girl nodded dumbly after a few seconds. She had enough brains to know when someone wanted to be alone. "Y-Yeah. Um, see you."

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Six months had passed, and Kaoru still hadn't been found. Hikaru stayed in his room all day, letting Kaoru's scent engulf him from the pillow he left. It was barely there, and it was the thing that kept Hikaru going.

Everyone around him knew that he was going to get sick soon if something wasn't done. The Host Club members visited him regularly, except for Kyouya who was still working to find the missing twin. Hikaru's face had thinned, dark bags under his eyes. He had slept for a total of five hours the entire week and was on the verge of collapsing. He would've never even eaten anymore, except for the fact that Haruhi and Tamaki came by almost every day to force him some food. The first and second years had a much lighter workload than the third years; Honey and Mori were preparing for tests and the Host King had insisted they study, since he and Haruhi could take care of Hikaru.

It was a task much easier said than done.

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It had been days since the incident with Ayaka and he'd long since forgotten it...or so he pretended. But she played along with him, much to his relief. However, it wasn't until he heard some of the customers talking one day when he realized that maybe something was wrong.

"Ah, yeah, that Hitachiin, right?"

Kaoru froze, a chill going down his spine. Had they found out who he was? What could he do? He had nowhere else to run, no place to hide...

"Hm. What's his name?"

"It says right here: Hitachiin Hikaru." Kaoru nearly dropped the tray of ramen, his hands shook so hard. It wasn't him at least, thank goodness. But...it was his brother, the one he'd been trying so hard to forget. Someone up there definitely hated him.

"Yeah, that rich twin brat? What happened to him?"

"Hm...well..."

"What?" The man demanded impatiently.

"It says here...that he collapsed."

This time, Kaoru did drop the tray.

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Yukimura Ayaka stood at the doorway of the ramen shop, her shoulder-length, wavy black hair and brown eyes so similar to her sister. She watched as her redheaded friend, currently with a cap, dropped the tray he was holding and turned horrified eyes to a group of elderly men at the mention of his twin brother.

"Wha-What did you just say?!" He rushed at the group with an urgency she'd never before seen on him and grabbed the newspaper on the table. She could see the huge headlines clear as day even from where she was: Hitachiin Hikaru Collapses. Next to that, a picture of her friend's mirror image lying unconscious on a stretcher, thin as a twig and dark bags contrasting sharply with his pale skin.

Kaoru paled. What had happened to his happy, devilish, nonchalant brother? He dropped the paper and turned slowly towards the doorway.

Stumbling out of the store, brushing past her, he ignored the cries of the lady who owned the ramen shop.

The dead look in his eyes made her knees buckle, and she fell to the ground, watching as his back slowly disappeared into the distance. And there hadn't been a single thing she could do.

She couldn't do anything, for the friend that she'd said she'd be there for.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Kaoru ran through the automatic sliding doors of the hospital, then slammed his palms on the reception counter. "I-I need--" he wheezed, "--to know which room Hitachiin Hikaru is in." It was quickly approaching dusk. The shinkansen ride had been hell on his nerves, and he was on the verge of pulling his hair out from the stress.

The nurse recoiled at the violent slam. "I-I'm sorry, but only family and friends are allo--"

The twin tore off his cap and stared at her with a desperate glint to his eyes. "Please."

Her eyes widened, mouth agape. "O-Of course, I'm very sorry. He's in room 306 on the fifth fl--"

He was already gone.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Thoughts raced through Kaoru's head. Why was he even here? He'd sworn never to see his brother again. But he couldn't just leave his twin when he passed out. Why had he collapsed anyway? The article had said that it was due to hunger and exhaustion.

But that wasn't possible. They were rich, so damn rich that the twins called for maids the minute they started feeling hungry. Was the newspaper making up the reason to attract attention? Or maybe it was the truth. But then what would be the reason for collapsing?

None of it made sense, unless...

Unless his brother missed him? Had he been worried?

No, no, Kaoru shook his head. There was no way Hikaru would go half an entire year waiting for him. That was a hundred-eighty-two days, four-thousand-three-hundred-sixty-eight whole hours. He was much too hot-headed, much too impatient to wait for _anything_ that long.

It just wasn't possible.

The boy finally reached the room. He listened for voices, and when he heard none, slid open the door as quietly as he could.

Hikaru lay there, needles and tubes stuck into him everywhere, a machine breathing for him.

Kaoru panicked, a lump lodging itself into his throat. They hadn't mentioned that Hikaru's life was in danger! Why was there a machine breathing for him? But then he noticed that on his face was just a flu-prevention mask, and not a breathing mask.

He closed his eyes and pressed the heels of his hands on his temples before walking mechanically over to the bed. Sitting down in the chair, he held his twin's hand. "Hikaru..." He sat there for a few minutes before the older Hitachiin's brow gradually smoothed and the hand in Kaoru's gripped him back.

Hikaru mumbled something unintelligible. Kaoru leaned over the bed and gently untied the mask. "What was that, Hikaru?"

The older twin's eyelids slid half-open. His eyes were glazed over with sleep and medication.

Then Hitachiin Hikaru smiled for the first time in six months. "Kaoru..."

Kaoru's eyes blurred, a stinging sensation in his nose, his throat clogged up. "Yeah."

Hikaru's smile widened. "You came back for me?" Kaoru could see the effort it took for his twin to keep his eyes open. His older brother's eyelids lowered a little more, the smile softening. "I love you, Kaoru." He slid back into unconsciousness, the hand in Kaoru's going limp once again.

A sob built up in the younger twin's throat, the words echoing over and over again in his mind. And though he was happy, so happy to hear that Hikaru loved him, he knew that it wasn't the way he wanted it to be. It could never be that way.

Sliding his hand away from Hikaru's, Kaoru clenched his teeth, shoved his cap back on his head, and briskly left the room.

---------------------------------------------------------------

"Kaoru-kun?" Ayaka rapped on his door. When there was no response, she turned the knob and found it unlocked. Pushing the door open slightly, she watched the still form on the bed. He was lying there, his cap on the floor, one leg bent at the knee and an arm winding around to cushion his head. His eyelids fluttered when she stepped in and she knew that he was awake. "Kaoru-kun."

A noncommittal sigh blew through his nose.

"Kaoru-kun, Hikaru-kun hasn't been going to school for several months now." He flinched. "Atsuko-neechan said that the Host Club closed down too, temporarily anyway."

Kaoru sat up on the bed after a few minutes of silence, patting the spot next to him. Ayaka sat down next to him and put her hand on his. The scene reminded him of that time Hikaru got jealous of Haruhi's middle school friend, but the roles were reversed.

"I miss him, Aya-chan."

She squeezed his hand. "Yeah."

"I love him, Aya-chan."

She smiled at him. "Yeah."

"But...not like a brother."

There was a brief pause. "I'd guessed as much. Is that why you left?"

"...Yeah."

The girl sighed and let go of his hand, opting instead for hugging his arm to her. "You should go back to school, Kaoru-kun."

"I know. Just probably not that school."

"Do you plan on ever going back?"

A plaintive smile. He ran his unoccupied arm through his hair. "...No."

---------------------------------------------------------------

Hikaru opened his eyes, then sat up abruptly in his bed and looked around the room.

Kaoru had been here. He could feel it, could still smell Kaoru's unique scent lingering in the air.

He clutched at the bed sheets, his heart feeling like it'd just been squeezed dry.

Why was Kaoru doing this? Did Kaoru hate him? What on earth had he done to make his baby brother leave like that? Hikaru drew his legs up, putting his head between his knees.

What was he going to do?

---------------------------------------------------------------

A few days later, Hikaru sighed, not understanding why Kyouya would want him to come to this commoner town. The older boy had knocked on his door at five in the morning and dragged the twin all the way out to the commoner train. Not a single word had been exchanged. They'd gotten off, Hikaru having been yelled at by an officer to stand behind the yellow line "for the last time, dammit". He'd been confused, since this was the first time he'd ever seen the stupid officer.

But he brushed it off, like he seemed to be doing to everything lately.

Kyouya led the way, winding through various complicated roads and glancing back every few minutes to see that the twin was following him. He'd been let out of the hospital just hours ago, and here was his money whore of a senpai, already dragging him around on a marathon. Honestly, no one knew what the shadow king was thinking most of the time.

Finally, they arrived at the doorway of a cozy-looking ramen shop whose neon sign absolutely screamed "Good ramen here!" Kyouya stopped abruptly, Hikaru bumping into his back. He sighed again for the umpteenth time that day. "Kyouya-senpai, just what are y--"

"Go into that ramen shop."

He stared at the dark-haired boy in confusion and exasperation. "Like I said, what is up wi--"

"I have some other business that I need to attend to. Just--please, go in." Hikaru stared blankly. Kyouya-senpai had just said please, hadn't he? What the hell was happening? He was led to this commoner town that oddly reminded him of Karuizawa, and now Kyouya was saying _please_.

The older boy whirled around and walked off. Hikaru stared after him for a while before shrugging and deciding that he had nothing better to do anyway. A small bell rang as he opened the door, ducking under the low ceiling. He entered a dim room full of chattering couples, groups of gossiping elderly people, and businessmen reading the newspaper.

An employee with a cap turned around to welcome him.

Hikaru froze, his heart faltering for two seconds before sputtering, then racing, as if he was running a marathon. Smiling golden eyes met disbelieving ones. The moment stretched long, much too long, as if time had stopped just for them. Then, as if from a great distance, Hikaru heard a tray dropping, hitting the ground with a deafening clatter.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Kaoru looked up from the table he was serving, a big grin on his face. Just a few more hours until work was over..."Welco--"

He stopped, his eyes widened, his lips still parted from the greeting. The tray he was holding slipped through his fingers, the glass bowl shattering to pieces on the floor upon impact. Hot soup and noodles splashed out, burning his zouri and feet. But he didn't notice, wide eyes fixed only on the person in front of him.

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

Hi guys, this is the last chapter! Thanks for sticking by (these few short days XD), and I hope it reaches your expectations!

Also, special thanks to _SuikaChan555_, _liquidity_, _Voidance_, and _ILuvHikaruAndKaoru_ for reviewing! :)

*Note: Zouri are those traditional Japanese slippers that you wear with kimono.

* * *

**Recap:**

Hikaru froze, his heart faltering for two seconds before sputtering, then racing, as if he was running a marathon. Smiling golden eyes met disbelieving ones. The moment stretched long, much too long, as if time had stopped just for them. Then, as if from a great distance, Hikaru heard a tray dropping, hitting the ground with a deafening clatter.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Kaoru looked up from the table he was serving, a big grin on his face. Just a few more hours until work was over..."Welco--"

He stopped, his eyes widened, his lips still parted from the greeting. The tray he was holding slipped through his fingers, the glass bowl shattering to pieces on the floor upon impact. Hot soup and noodles splashed out, burning his zouri and feet. But he didn't notice, wide eyes fixed only on the person in front of him.

* * *

**A Train Ride Away From You - Chapter 3**

Hikaru reached out a hand slowly, the initial shock beginning to wear off. Extreme relief and desperation replaced it, squeezing his heart. "Ka-Kaoru..." He began to walk towards his twin brother. Everyone in the shop had fallen silent, watching the identical twins in stupor. Hikaru reached his brother and touched his cheek with a warm hand.

Kaoru's eyes welled up, the tears spilling over and on to Hikaru's hand. How could this happen? How did Hikaru find him?

And He hadn't realized just how much he'd missed his older brother, just how much he'd wanted to be held in those arms again.

But no, this couldn't happen. He'd left for a reason; he couldn't let Hikaru just waltz in and ruin everything again. He wouldn't allow it.

The tears gradually dried up and Kaoru clenched his jaw. He slapped Hikaru's hand away from his face and pulled the cap down lower on his head. "Sorry, wrong person." Whirling around, he began to stroll briskly towards the stairs leading to his room.

Hikaru stared, stunned. What was he saying? That was obviously Kaoru, there was no way he'd mistake someone else for his own damn twin! Hand still damp from Kaoru's tears, he began to follow his brother. "Wait! Wait, Kaoru!" He chased Kaoru up the stairs, only to find his younger twin banging on a door hurriedly.

"Ayaka! Ayaka, let me in!"

"No!" A girl's voice sounded from behind the locked door. Kaoru rattled the doorknob.

"Let me in! You're going to wreck everything, you hear? Everything!"

"No!" She yelled. "I couldn't help you last time, so I've decided that I will this time. I'm not letting you in through the damn door!"

Kaoru stood stiffly, banging on the door a few times more half-heartedly, and after another moment, let out a defeated sigh.

He tried to hold in the tears with everything he had, but it was just so hard.

So hard to look at his brother again.

It was the first time he'd allowed himself to think about Hikaru in six months, and the onslaught of emotions brought him to the floor, clenching his fists to keep the sobs bottled up. But they forced their way out of his chest anyway, and Kaoru found himself curled up on the floor, heart-wrenching sobs tearing out of his throat. Hikaru watched, his chest aching. He was about to run to his brother, but then the door opened a crack. A girl with wavy, black hair knelt down beside his twin, gently pulling him up to a sitting position, and wrapped her arms around him. Kaoru clutched at her like a lifeline, his tears soaking through her shoulder.

Hikaru recoiled. Who was this girl? Who was this girl to _his_ baby brother?

The older twin was about to retreat down the stairs, but the girl spotted him and motioned for him to come. Kaoru's back faced the stairs; he was unable to see her gestures.

"Come here," she mouthed. "He needs you." Hikaru shook his head. Kaoru had pushed him away, pretending not to know him.

Hikaru gritted his teeth at the thought.

Kaoru had...pushed him away.

The girl's brow knitted. "He loves you," she mouthed again. Hikaru's eyes widened, slightly disbelieving and yet wanting to believe, and he unconsciously began to step towards the two. She smiled and gently pried herself away from Kaoru. He looked up at her, confused, tears glittering on his lashes. She covered his eyes with her hand and motioned for Hikaru, and he came, taking his brother in his embrace, pressing him to his chest. Kaoru gasped, immediately recognizing the body heat even though his eyes were covered. Quietly, inconspicuously, Ayaka stepped away and left.

Kaoru sniffed and hiccupped into Hikaru's chest. "I love you," Kaoru said. Hikaru smiled, a real, genuine smile, and felt hope fill his entire body.

"I love you too," he replied.

"No," Kaoru laughed wistfully, wiping his eyes. "I love you more than a brother should. I'm in love with you, Hikaru." Kaoru could feel his twin tense. Half of him hoped that his brother would run, so that he'd never come back again, never cause him so much pain again. But there was just a tiny part...a tiny whisper in his heart that wished that Hikaru felt the same. He squashed that whisper before it could get to him.

Waiting, waiting...Kaoru waited for three whole seconds, the longest three seconds of his life, before he felt Hikaru sag...as if all the tension had left his body at once.

"Kaoru, I can't believe that you would spring that on me right after we meet again. Stop joking around with me. I'm tired....so tired. You pushed me away, and now you say that you're in love with me." Hikaru laughed humourlessly. "Why are you doing this? Why do you have to toy with me like this?"

Kaoru grit his teeth. Hikaru thought he was toying with him? "I meant it, Hikaru."

There was a long pause.

"I'm in love with you, so I ran away." Kaoru smiled. "You're disgusted, aren't you? I knew you would be, so I left. That's all there is to it." Kaoru squeezed his brother a last time, then drew back. "I think I should be getting back to work now. I left the mess there and everything...so going back to my room isn't that smart of a decision." He gave a small, dejected laugh. "Sure made a fool of myself out there, didn't I?" He got up, brushing himself off, striding away, past Hikaru.

His footsteps echoed in the older Hitachiin's mind. Kaoru...Kaoru was so _close_, he was right there--!

And yet he was so far, far away from where Hikaru was. 'Don't let him go,' his heart urged him. 'You let him go now, you'll never get him back,' his mind persisted.

Kaoru was already one step down the stairs when Hikaru stood up and whirled around, running after him. "Wait!" His fingers wrapped around his younger brother's wrist.

Kaoru turned around and blinked when he saw the despair written all over Hikaru's face. "Did you mean it? Are you really in love with me?"

Kaoru looked away. "...Yeah."

"No, look at me." Hikaru whispered. "Look me in the eyes and tell me the truth."

Kaoru clenched his fists. Was teasing him really that fun? He faced his brother, solemn golden eyes meeting desperate ones. "Hikaru, I'm in love with you."

Kaoru didn't even have time to blink as his older brother grabbed him around the waist and crushed their lips together. "Mmf!" Kaoru protested, but his eyes gradually began to close of their own will, and he snaked his arms around Hikaru's back.

The older twin pressed his lips hurriedly to Kaoru's, stopping only once to mutter, "I'm in love with you too, but I couldn't bear to wreck our relationship," before kissing his twin again. And just like that time when Hikaru had declared themselves inseparable twins, therefore they could experience everything together, gaining twice the happiness of a normal person, twice the fun in life as a normal person...relieved, shocked tears slipped down Kaoru's cheeks.

When they broke apart, Kaoru asked tentatively while rubbing away the wet tracks on his cheeks, "Then why would you stare at Atsuko that way? I saw...and don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about because I saw!" He looked away from Hikaru, mumbling. "Seeing you look at her in that way everyday...I couldn't take it."

Hikaru felt his heart twist at the look on Kaoru's face. "You...you thought that I was in love with her?" Hikaru stared at him in agitated confusion. "Well, I mean, she's not unpleasant to look at, but..."

Kaoru's eyes narrowed.

Hikaru ran his hand through his hair. "...I don't understand. I don't know why you would think that I would love anyone more than you. I...I--" He grabbed Kaoru's face in his hands and pressed their lips together desolately, trying to convey all his emotions into the kiss. Urgency, love, confusion, pain, fear...fear that Kaoru wouldn't believe him, fear that Kaoru would leave him. Hikaru curled his arms around Kaoru's neck and buried his fingers in his hair, the doubt driving him mad. Kaoru quivered, wide-eyed at the thick emotions his brother was trying to convey to him. Slowly, slowly, he put his hands on Hikaru's chest and gently pushed him away.

"Hikaru." Said older brother stared into Kaoru's eyes, searching them for some kind of recognition. Seeing none, his impatience mounted to a breaking point and he let out loud whoosh of air. If that hadn't worked...

"I would find myself..." he continued staring into Kaoru's eyes intently, slightly flustered."I couldn't stop staring at you, okay? Every time I tried to look away, something you do would draw my attention back to you, and I know that it sounds so _sick_, staring at my twin like that, but it's not my fault that you act that way! You would suddenly bite down on your lip, or you would be sucking happily on candy that Haruhi got from the grocery store. Atsuko just happened to be sitting in front of me, so I had to direct my affections to her to try to stop staring at you. You...Kaoru--" he stopped and tried to breathe in deeply. "You don't believe me."

Sad, Tamaki-eyes turned on the younger brother.

Kaoru blinked in surprise. The fine hairs on the back of his neck stood up at the confession. He stared at Hikaru blankly for a while, before acceptance dawned in his eyes. Hikaru would never understand the pain he'd felt. Never. But it was okay, since Kaoru knew that he was supposed to be the mature one, the forgiving one. So he let it all go.

He moved to pin his older brother to the wall, planting his hands firmly on either sides of Hikaru's head. The older boy's cheeks were still flushed, his eyes wide now with surprise. Kaoru leaned in close to the lips that he had touched with his own so gently just a minute ago. He paused just a breath before they touched, then crushed them together roughly, Hikaru gasping in surprise. Kaoru took hold of the control for once, and it was thrilling. He sucked on his twin's bottom lip wantonly. Hikaru inhaled sharply before proceeding to slither his tongue into Kaoru's mouth. The moist appendages brushed against each other, tasting the warm cavern of each other's mouths.

Kaoru knew that their problems weren't over yet, but he'd just do this for now.

He would forget all his worries for now...and just be with his brother.

---------------------------------------------------------------

The twins spent the rest of the day catching up with each other. Hikaru, his face covered with a red flush, had admitted that the pencil drawing on their desk had originally said "Hikaru & Kaoru", but then he'd scribbled out the "Kaoru" and replaced it with "Atsuko" to cover for his mistake. The younger twin had grinned, embarrassed but relieved. Soon after, Kaoru, concerned about Hikaru's thin state, forced him to eat, then made him sleep. Hikaru complied easily, his appetite back now that his little brother was with him.

The next day, Kaoru woke up to find lips slowly moving against his own. An arm was slung over his chest, a leg over his. He sighed blissfully, not realizing what was happening until his mind clicked, taking in his surroundings. He paused, blinking, caught off guard, then began to move his lips gently against the ones pressed into his. They kissed unhurriedly at the leisure pace, a thought surfacing in the back of Kaoru's mind that it was a wonderful way to wake up. For once, his older brother had woken up first.

The day before had passed slowly and Hikaru was glad, the happy memories forever branded into his mind. It was like Kaoru had never left in the first place, the two had synced together effortlessly.

A few minutes passed, and the older twin finally couldn't take it anymore. He broke the kiss and climbed on top of Kaoru, blowing warm air on to his face. The younger brother's slightly swollen lips parted in anticipation. "Hikaru...just what do you--" Kaoru gasped when Hikaru bit softly into his earlobe, "--think you are doing so early in the morning?"

Hikaru murmured something unintelligible.

"Hikaru, stop...even if we feel the same way, this will never work. We are twins," he bit out, but not really minding. Both of them had already experienced how unbearable it was to be apart from each other, how unbearable it was not to commit this taboo.

They had already resolved to commit the ultimate sin the moment Hikaru had answered Kaoru's feelings.

"Hm...doesn't matter," Hikaru nuzzled Kaoru's neck, "no one has to know..."

Kaoru moaned and gave up. He didn't care anymore anyway, since Hikaru was busy trying to unbutton his shirt. The problem would work itself out. He practically tore off the younger Hitachiin's shirt and ran his hands up and down Kaoru's sides. Kaoru bit down hard on his bottom lip and closed his eyes. "You're mine..." Hikaru said breathily into his ear. Kaoru shuddered, cracking open an eye to see half-lidded golden ones staring back at him with lust. "Say it."

Kaoru's breath hitched as Hikaru began sliding his pants down. "S-Say what?" He played innocent.

Hikaru growled. "Tell me that you're mine." He tore off Kaoru's boxers.

Kaoru hissed in pleasure. "I'm yours...Hikaru."

A dark smirk plastered itself on Hikaru's face. On his hands and knees, he looked down at his twin's naked body in admiration, his breaths growing rapidly shorter. Kaoru's cheeks were flushed red, his eyes glazed over with lust and longing. He reached out to his older brother, tearing off his shirt and pants.

Hikaru dug his fingers into Kaoru's hips and lowered his head, snaking his tongue into Kaoru's mouth. He sucked greedily on Kaoru's tongue and the latter moaned, bucking his hips. Their erections rubbed together and they kissed even more fervently, tongues dancing in each other's mouths, gasping at the delicious warmth and friction. Kaoru wrapped his arms around Hikaru's shoulders and pressed him closer, breathing in deeply, heady with his brother's scent.

Unable to stop himself, Hikaru grinded himself into Kaoru again, feeling as if a wild fire was consuming his entire being. Kaoru cried out and writhed underneath him. The sight of his younger twin, so vulnerable beneath him, his hips jerking because of _him_ was unspeakably arousing.

They wrapped their arms tighter around each other, the enveloping embrace warming their skin even more. Hikaru ran his hands all over Kaoru's body, down his chest, over his shoulders to his back, then wound back to his arms. He took his brother's left hand in his right and pinned it above their heads on the mattress. Grinding his hips into Kaoru's again, the younger Hitachiin's guttural moan turned him on even more.

Kaoru couldn't bear it anymore, couldn't bear the heat nor the maelstrom of emotions causing chaos to his insides, and reached down to the elastic of Hikaru's boxers to pull them off...

Someone knocked on the door.

"Ignore it," Hikaru hissed.

"I can't, the door isn't locked," Kaoru wheezed. Hikaru swallowed, the raw desire raging through his veins. Seeing his younger twin in a rare, unguarded state, he wanted to ravage him so badly. They both groaned in frustration when Hikaru climbed off of his twin and sat on the floor, snatching a pillow to hide evidence of what had just transpired. He ran his hands over his face to try to dispel the lust. Kaoru slid his boxers back on and opened the door just a tiny crack. He peeked his head out.

"...Hi." Ayaka grinned.

Kaoru sighed dismally and looked down at her. "You said you wanted to help me, but you just interrupted us, didn't you?"

She flushed. "Ah, sorry Kaoru-kun. Just wanted to see if you were okay. Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. Man, I'm an idiot sometimes, ha-ha...but, well, anyway, I'll be going now, since you seem like you're doing okay. I'll see you in school!" She grinned.

"Wait." He grabbed her wrist. "Um...I just wanted to say thank you. Thanks, Ayaka-chan."

Her eyes sparkled and she gave a hearty laugh. "Ha! This is the amazing Ayaka we are talking about! No sweat about it, nope. Come see me whenever you need to! I get bored really easily, after all!" He let go of her wrist and she waved merrily before clambering down the stairs. Kaoru smiled after her for a second before closing the door again. Hikaru was staring at him with a slightly distressed look.

"Who was that?"

Kaoru smiled again, a small but genuine one that left Hikaru dumbfounded. "Yukimura Ayaka-chan. She helped me when I came here. Don't you find that her personality is almost like the opposite of Haruhi's?"

Hikaru looked down. "Mm, I guess so," he mumbled. "So, what is her...uh--" he flushed and glared at the wall, crossing his arms, "--relationship with you?" he whispered.

"Hm? A good friend, I guess, like Haruhi. W--" Suddenly, Kaoru turned astonished eyes to his brother. "Y-You are...being jealous, Hikaru?"

Hikaru's face retained its red stain, but he cupped Kaoru's cheek with a loving, brotherly-act look. "No one will take you away from me."

Kaoru snickered and gave him a reassuring bear hug. "Nope, no one will. You worry too much, Hikaru."

Hikaru smiled and closed his eyes, relishing the hug. "Yeah."

Then, Kaoru gave a devilish grin. "So. D'you think she looks familiar, by any chance?"

Hikaru pulled away, a surprised look on his face. "How did you know?"

Kaoru sighed. His brother was so helplessly oblivious. "Her name is Yukimura Ayaka, Hikaru. Her sister is Atsuko. Wonder if that rings a bell?"

A dumbfounded silence filled the air. "...Oh." Hikaru chuckled. "Sorry, but I just can't seem to notice anything at all anymore. Well," he turned a seductive smile on Kaoru. "Except for you, of course."

Kaoru flushed prettily. "No, you were always oblivious, it's not a recent thing," he muttered.

Hikaru chose to ignore the comment. "Shall we...continue from where we left off?" He smirked.

Kaoru faced the wall, his back to his brother. "No," a corner of his mouth turned up to form a mocking look. He began to put his clothes back on.

"Aww...don't be like that, Kaoru~"

The seductive, forbidden-brotherly-love-act voice forced the younger brother to suppress his shiver. "No," he insisted.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Kaoru trembled under the insistent hands that were currently stroking his bare thighs. They'd arrived home in a limo that Hikaru had called for, hands glued together on the seat between them and staring out their respective windows. Not really seeing the scenery whizzing past outside, both thought about the events of the past six months, bitter, but yet helpful in its own way.

Kaoru hadn't looked in a mirror the several past months, to try not to remind himself of who exactly he was escaping from. But having looked in the bathroom mirror at the ramen place before leaving, he'd seen that he'd gotten just as thin as Hikaru had, with bags just slightly lighter than his twin's under his eyes. He would have, undoubtedly, passed out soon, just like his brother had, if Kyouya had not led Hikaru to where he was.

As for Hikaru, he'd always remember that agony of not knowing, of abandonment. He was more self-centered than Kaoru, more selfish. He knew this, though another way of saying it could be that he was just less thoughtful. Thinking for others simply didn't occur to him, except for Kaoru anyway. Always having been closed off in his and his younger brother's little world, being left behind was excruciatingly shocking. He'd been unable to keep himself going, but thanks to Kyouya, they were now back to where they were...kind of.

Having finally gotten home, Kaoru had withstood his mother's lectures, tears, and the fists that had thumped half-heartedly on his chest. He'd let out tears of his own, not able to do a thing except to apologize and embrace her.

Now here they were, finally alone and the door locked. This wasn't just lust anymore, but a longing so deep-rooted that they had to release it, appease it somehow so that it wouldn't crush them.

Frantically, Hikaru pulled off all of their clothes, kissing every inch of Kaoru that he could reach. The younger brother shuddered and guided Hikaru's face back to his, giving him a kiss that made both of them shiver, lips and tongues dancing. The older brother pressed his chest into the younger one's, both shuddering from the skin-to-skin feeling. Hikaru nudged his face into Kaoru's neck, sucking gently on the skin there, biting down softly, then used his tongue to sooth the little red spot. "Don't--" Kaoru gasped, "--don't leave a mark..." Hikaru grunted affirmatively, moving up to the earlobe and kissing it softly. Then he shifted downwards, placing butterfly kisses on Kaoru's chest and stomach. The younger Hitachiin's chest moved up and down with his quick breaths, the hot breath fanning his torso only serving to make him feel more aroused.

Hikaru reached Kaoru's raging erection and pressed his lips gently to the base, then kissed along the thick vein. The younger brother gasped and his hips bucked, out of his control. "Hi-Hikaru..." Said twin smirked, then took the head into his mouth, sucking hard, wrapping his tongue around the length. Kaoru's entire body convulsed, muscles clenching then unclenching, and he let out a throaty moan. Hikaru revelled in his twin's reaction and continued with his ministrations, desperate to hear more sounds force themselves from his brother's lips. Kaoru bucked into his mouth again. "Hikaru...Hikaru, I want you in me," he panted. Hikaru groaned at the words, pulling his mouth off with a "pop".

Kaoru dragged Hikaru's face to his again, spreading his legs, wrapping them around Hikaru's waist. The older brother grabbed the younger's hips and edged himself slowly into Kaoru. He waited for any sign of discomfort, but was caught by surprise when Kaoru suddenly jerked up, taking in all of Hikaru. Both moaned at the heat and skin contact, Hikaru clenching his fists on the sheets to try to retain his self-control. Kaoru noticed this, and whispered, "I want to see you lose control, Hikaru." He licked his lips. "I want you to screw me senseless."

The older Hitachiin's control snapped. He pulled out and drove himself back in with such force that he hit the prostate, making Kaoru cry out in uncontrolled ecstasy. He wrapped his arms around the chest above him, urging Hikaru closer. "Don't...don't stop." Hikaru complied, pulling out and then slamming back in at an inhuman pace.

Worn out, Kaoru stopped trying to keep up. His hips jerked uncontrollably every time Hikaru hit his prostate, crying out for his older brother. Hikaru hissed in pleasure before giving a final thrust, sending both to the peak, shattering their sanities and letting their bodies alone ride the wave. Kaoru's back arched off the bed, a silent cry tearing itself out from his chest. Lights flashed in his vision. Hikaru revelled in the sight of his brother's bottomless eyes full of delicious, raw emotion. He shook above his twin, throwing his head back as his jaw muscles slackened and his mouth hung open in pleasure, shuddering against the tight muscles that clamped down on him over and over again.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Hikaru watched his brother's red hair laid out on the bed, the boy that it belonged to fast asleep. Kaoru's breathing was even and peaceful, having passed out from the intensity of his climax. Hikaru hugged him close, Kaoru instinctively tucking his head into the crook of his twin's shoulder.

Loose bandages caught the older Hitachiin's eyes, and he sat up to wrap them back securely on Kaoru's feet. The broken bowl and ramen soup that had splashed on to his feet had caused minor gashes and burns. Hikaru's hands had been shaking the entire time he'd wrapped them on, even though Kaoru had been stroking his hair gently, telling him that he was fine. Nevertheless, Hikaru still felt responsible, and having seen those gashes and burns that were caused by him, even though he was supposed to protect his baby brother, had made him feel unexplainable guilt and pain.

Hikaru vowed never again to let his brother go.

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Kaoru groaned, turning away from the sunlight warming him through the window. He crashed into a hard chest. Hikaru stirred slightly before waking up. "Kaoru..."

"Nn," said twin replied. He sat up, then moaned at the soreness in his muscles, especially his hips. "God, I'm not gonna be able to walk today, Hikaru," he whined.

His twin smirked. "Don't worry. I'll carry you around like a princess, my dear brother."

Kaoru glared at him. "I don't want to be carried like a damn princess. Now I can't walk because of you!"

Hikaru's smirk widened even more, laughter threatening to bubble out from his chest. "I didn't see you complaining last night."

The younger twin blushed and hmph'd. He shuffled over to the edge of the bed and eased himself off as gently as he could. Another pained moan was stifled as he limped slowly to the shower. Hikaru grinned in amusement and got up, sliding off the bed casually. He walked towards the bathroom connected to their room and heard the shower turn on. Opening the door silently, he closed it again and glided into the shower, wrapping his arms around his brother.

Kaoru took in a sharp breath at the unexpected contact. He turned around with a smile on his face to greet his brother, but he froze at the horrified look on his brother's face. "Hikaru...?"

His twin was staring down at the bathroom floor, where the water was a crimson red, slowly bleaching to a dark pink. "...Kaoru. Were you...bleeding?"

Kaoru unfroze and fidgeted uncomfortably. He averted his gaze. "N-No."

The grip on his waist tightened. "Don't fucking lie to me, Kaoru. Why the hell were you bleeding?"

"Um..."

The realization flashed in Hikaru's eyes. The anger dissipated from his expression, color draining from his face. "No lube--I didn't--last night...I should've waited--" His hands began shaking.

Kaoru was bleeding. Kaoru was bleeding because of _him_. He had hurt his own _brother_.

The younger Hitachiin seized Hikaru's face in his hands. "No! I wanted it!" He gritted his teeth. "Don't you dare blame yourself for something that I wanted, Hikaru!" The older twin stared down at his brother.

"But you're _bleeding_."

Kaoru sighed in frustration. "It's just a little blood, Hikaru. Everyone bleeds now and again, it's no big deal. Stop worrying over something so trivial."

Hikaru clutched at his twin tightly, one arm around his back, the other around his waist. He pressed him as close as physically possible, breathing in deeply, then letting it out in a dramatic whoosh. "Never again, Kaoru."

He smiled wistfully at his brother's concern and shook his head in exasperation. "What if I want it rough?" he teased.

His older brother blinked in shock. "You like it rough?"

Kaoru smirked. "Sometimes. Hey, we should try bondage sometime."

Hikaru blushed bright red, and Kaoru laughed happily.

Only his younger brother would ever be able to comfort him like this, Hikaru mused.

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A few weeks later, Ayaka designated "the doppelgangers" at the Host Club that had been reopened when they had returned to school a week prior. In the middle of a conversation, she'd remarked nonchalantly that though Hikaru and Kaoru looked very much alike, the way they acted was completely different when they were apart from each other. Even though they made it seem as if they thought helping others was troublesome, like that incident with the newspaper club, --the twins blinked in surprise about how she could possibly know this-- they couldn't deny that a bit of sympathy still made its way into their hearts, especially as time went on. They weren't brats, not really, but just bored most of the time.

The brothers had glanced at each other in shock, hearing this from a girl they had just met barely a while ago. It was ridiculous, how much and how _quickly_ they were opening up.

Kaoru found that more and more people were entering his and Hikaru's world...and he found himself wondering whether it was a good thing, or if it was a bad thing. He voiced the question to his brother when Ayaka left, and Hikaru had grinned, remarking that having more people understand them was obviously better.

"Unless anyone steals you away from me anyway," he'd added, and Kaoru had laughed.

Maybe...maybe the carriage had turned back into a pumpkin, but even so..._even so_, the prince had never given up in looking for his princess.

He'd never given up, and, having found her, they'd lived happily ever after.

Without the carriage.

'Cuz Hitachiins didn't need carriages anyway; they had the Host Club, their true friends, and plenty of cars at their disposal.


End file.
